| Purpose: This study aim to improve the under-standing of the teens' perception of different carton facial portraits. Orthodontic professionals thrive to provide patients with, not only a balanced occlusion, but also a harmonious soft tissue profile. For patients with major skeletal discrepancy, surgical treatment may be necessary to achieve ideal esthetics. Providing com-prehensive information regarding the current esthetic status, as well as the life-long esthetic outcome of all treatment options, is critical for the patients to make an informed decision. Subjects and Methods: Three hundred participants aged 10-to 18 were prospectively recruited and asked to fill out a survey with 6 sets of profile and 45-degree cartoon portraits representing male and female versions of Class I, II and III. There were 5 statements for each set of pictures:(1) This person looks smart. (2) This person looks athletic. (3) This person looks happy. (4) This person looks popular. (5) This person looks friendly. The subjects were in-structed to mark on the visual analogue scale, whether they agreed or disagreed with the statements. Results: Overall analysis showed that Class I profile was viewed most positively. Class II was viewed as smarter than Class III, while Class III were viewed as more athlet-ic, happy and popular Class II. Female participants were more critical of Class II and Class III. All par-ticipants were in general more critical of changes in female profiles. Participants age 14 and older or those that were attending high school were more sensitive to non-ideal profile than younger or middle schooler. Conclusions: Overall, Class I profile was viewed as smart-er, happier, friendlier, more athletic and popular than Class II or Class III profiles. In overall comparing between Class II and Class III portraits, it was shown that Class II was viewed as smarter while Class III were viewed as more athletic, happy and popular. Fe-males were more critical of non-ideal profiles Further-more, both male and female were more critical of fe-male. Older participants or those that studies in high school were more critical than younger participants or those that attend middle school. |
